Experimental computer system recognises users by their shoes

Computer science researchers at the Hasso Plattner Institute in
Potsdam, Germany, have developed a system that recognises different
users of a shared PC by their shoes.

The system -- called Bootstrapper -- uses cameras below a desk to identify a user's
shoes as they sit down to use the computer. The team tested the
system using Microsoft Surface, finding that it could keep track of multiple
users on the same touchscreen by observing their shoes. Once the
shoes were recognised, it would load the user's preferences.

Bootstrapper was developed by computer science professor Patrick
Baudisch, along with grad students Christian Holz and Stephan
Richter. Baudisch told
Technology Review that shoes are ideal to track because they
offer distinct features such as colours, seams, laces, logos or
stripes. He's obviously never worked in finance or the
military.

Identifying different users is an ongoing challenge for creators
of shared touchscreens. Previous approaches to this problem have
involved using sensors on chairs or special infrared rings on
hands. As you can see in the video embedded in this post, the
system works by collecting video of shoes using a Kinect camera pointing towards the floor, under the table. The
software extracts data relating to the texture of the shoes. It
then identifies users by matching camera images of a database of
known shoe images. When multiple users interact, Boostrapper
associates touches with shoes based on where and how the user is
touching the screen.

With a sample of 18 users, each with a different pair of shoes,
the system could recognise a user with 89 percent accuracy.
Although there's no reason why the system couldn't associate
multiple pairs of shoes with the same person, it could easily be
confused by people wearing the same shoes or contorting their arms
into unnatural positions on the touchscreen.

Comments

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